Fare indicator



Jan. 6, 1931. L. KERN 1,788,161

" FARE INDICATOR Filed Oct. 2, 1924 2 SheetsSheet 1 J enfor: L so at n Af/omeva Jan. 6, 1931. L. KERN 1,788,161

FARE INDICATOR Filed Oct. 2, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 lo /4 9 .L F "1 1 1 1* 62 i 3 30 7/36 pi y 4! 43 35 1 l i l 5 Jwen/or: L, e 0 K2 1 n Patented Jan. 6, 19311 LE KERN, or vILmnGEN,"GERMAnmI-Assmnon To: xrnnzrn UHREnFABRmEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, or scHwENNm mpoN-TnnNnoxAI .GERM ANYfA' CQR- I PORATION OF GERMANY FARE INDICATOR f Application filed October 2, 1924, Serial no. 741,181, and in Ge'rmany'July 7,1924.

My invention relates to improvements in fare indicators, and the obj ecto't the intiprove ments is to provlde a fare lndi'cator'ln which figures of large size may be provided on register members of comparatively small size, so that with register members of a given size the fare, can readily be read by the passenger 1 and the driver. With this object in View my invention consists in providing register members in which the figuresare d sposed par-1 allel to the, axes of the reglstermembers and the axes ofthe register members are disposed parallel. toone another and onev beside the other, the line on which thefigures are; displayedbeing disposed transverselyoi' the saidaxes. My invention also relates to the construction of the mechanism operating. the

register members, which mechanism is particularly adapted to the relative arrangement of the register member-s1, I

For the'purpose of explaining the 1nvention an example embodying the same has been shown in the'accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters have been used in all the views to indicate corresponding parts.

In said drawing,

Fig. 1, is-an elevation of the fare indicator with the bottom part of the front plate removed, 1 1

Figs. 24, show the register members and the operatingmechanism thereof on an enlarged scale, Fig. 2 being an elevation partly in section on the line 22' of Fig. 3, Fig. 3

a top plan View partly in section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 a sectional plan view taken on the line Hot Fig. 2, and 7 Fig. 5, is a detail sectional View showing a register member and the manner of mounting the same on the driving mechanism thereof.

Indescribing the invention reference will be made to a fare indicator based on United States currency,

In the example'shown in the fare indicator is operated in the usual way from a shaft 1 adapted to be rotated either from'one of the axles of the vehicle or from a clock mechanism and to transmit such rotary movement througl'i afratchetwheel 2, and

drawing the a .pawlfi mounted on aroclcer 4- supported on -a shaft and carrying a pawl 7, to a ratchet small diameter. As shown the figures of the drumlO represent dimes, the units being dis posed on a stationary plate 11, which plate always displaysthezero sign, "For convenience sake the drum will be hereafter referred to asthe dime drum.

' Atth-e'left of the drum"10. two'drums 12 and 13 are disposed whichdisplay respective; 1y the'units and the tens of the dollars. The drums 12 and 13 are mounted on vertical spindles 14 and15 respectively', and t'jheyhave the figuresfroin-1 9and the zero sign pro- 'vided thereon, all the figures. being parallel tothe axes of the record drums; In Fig. l

the zero signs are displayed by the drums.

The spindle 9 of the dime drum 10 has a carrying disk 16 secured thereto, which disk.

isformed with a notch 17 (FigsB' and-5). Said disk and its notch are engaged by" an arm 18 of alever 18,19 mounted on a. pivot bolt 70 secured to the top plate 65, and the arm 19 of the said lever carries a pawl 20 normally pressed by a spring 21 into the ratchet teeth'of a ratchet wheel 22 (Fig. 1) secured to the spindle 1 1. A lockingp'awl gagement with the teeth of the said ratchet wheel; 7 1 F The spindle 14 has acarrying disk 25 se-' cured'thereto which is formed-with a notch 26. The disk 25 and its notch areengaged by an arm 27 of a lever 27,28 pivotally mounted on a pivot bolt 71 secured to the top plate 65. Thearm 28 of the said lever carries a pawl 29 engaging in a ratchet Wheel 30 se cured to the spindle 15, which wheel is also engagedby a locking paWlSl. Springs 32, 33 tend to holdthe levers 18, 19 and .27, 28 l with their arms 18 and 27 in engagement V23 is pressed b'ya spring 24: into'lockingenwith the cam faces of the carrying disks 16 and respectively.

The operation of the parts so far described is as follows: \Vhen the drive drum 10 is rotated from the aXis of the vehicle or the clock work the arm 18 rides on the carrying disk 16 which is rotated in anti-clockwise direction, until the drum has completed one revolution, whereupon the portion 72 of largest radius engages the'arm 18 and the latter is rocked by the spring 32 into the notch 17 and towards the axis of the register drum 10. By the rocking movement of the lever 18, 19 the ratchet wheel 22 is advanced one step, so that the spindle 14' and the drum 12 are advanced one digit. After another complete rotation of the dime drum the drum 12' is advanced another step. After the drum 12 has thus been advanced ten steps the end 27 oftlie lever 27, 28 drops into the notch 26 of the carrying disk 25, whereby the tens of dollars drum 13 is advanced by the lever 27, 28 and the pawl 29.

In order to limit the stroke of the pawls 20 and 29, so that the drums 12 and 13 are advanced exactly one step u on each operation of the levers 18, 19 and 2 28, stop members are provided in position for engagement with the end faces of the pawls 20 and 29. As shown the said stop members are in the form of pins 36 and 37 rising from disks 34, 35 loosely mounted on the spindles 14 and 15. Said pins are in positions for arresting the pawls 20 and 29 after the ratchet wheels have been advanced one step, as is shown in Fig. 3 with reference to the pawl'29. By the pins 36 and 37 the ratchet wheels 22 and 30 and the register drums 12 and 13 are prevented from being thrown beyond the correct position. To the spindle 9 a ratchet wheel 43 is secured which is engaged by a locking pawl 42.

The disks 34 and 35 carry pins 38, 38' and 39, 39 and a disk 41 mounted on the spindle 9 carries a pin 40, which pins are in positions for engagement with the pawls 20, 23, 29, 31, and 42 for retracting the said pawls away from the ratchet wheels 22, 30, 43 when turnthe disks 34, 35, 41 in anti-clockwise direction and into the positions shown in Fig. 4, to permit the ratchet wheels and the register drums connected therewith to be reset. The disks 34, 35 and 41 show arms 45, 46 and 44 connected with a bar 47 formed with a nose 48, which nose is in the path of the wing of the fare indicator or a part connected therewith, so that the disks are rocked into positions for releasing the register drums when turning the said wing from the 270 positioninto the free position. When thus rocking the disks 34, 35, 41 in anti-clockwise direction the pin 36 of the disk 34 and a similar pin 49 of the disk 41 strike against shoulders 50 and 51 of the levers 27, 28 and 18, 19 and rock the same with the pawls 20 and 29 away from the ratchet wheels 22, 30 and the pins 36, 37, so that, when further turning the disks 34, 35, the pawls 20 and 29 are moved by the pins 38, 39 clear of the teeth of the ratchet wheels 22, 30. Further, by turning the disks 34, 35, 41 the pins 38, 39, 40 rock the pawls 23, 31, 42 away from the ratchet wheels 22, 30, 43, so that the drums 10, 12, 13 are free to return into initial positions.

For resetting the drums the mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and 4 is provided. To the shaft 9 gear wheel 57 is secured which is in mesh with a. gear wheel 53 loosely mounted on a pin 52 and having a hub in the form of a sleeve 54. On the said sleeve a coiled spring is located whichis attached with one end to a pin 74 (Fig. 4-) and with the opposite end to the gear wheel 53. The said gear wheel is provided with a not-en 56, so that several teeth of the gear wheel are cut 0195. Therefore, in the operation of the device, when the spindle 9 is rotated the gears 57 and 53 will be actuated and accordingly will rotate the sleeve 54 to place the spring 55 under tension. This will 'conti. throughout one complete revolution of the drum 10 and will then cease because of the fact that the notch 56 of the gear wheel 53 has come into registry with the gear wheel 57; at this stage the gear wheels 6 v 53 and 57 are therefore not in mesh with each other and are locked so that continued rotation of thespindle 9 to further rotate the drum 10 will have no ell ect upon the spring As a result continued rotation. of the drum 10 will simply hold the spring 55 at the tension imparted thereto during one complete revolution of said drum 10; th spring 55 consequently is placed under tension only to an c:\'- tent necessary for impartingone complete revolution to the drum 10 in a return direction. Similar resetting springs and gear wheels are connected with the spindles 14 and 15, so that each register drum has a resetting spring oi its own. It will be noted however that the placing of the springs 55 of the drums 10, 12 and 13 under tension is accomplished in independent sequence and that the winding of one spring 55 to a tension just si'ifiici'ent to reset itsdruni, does not commence until after the winding of the preceding spring or springs to'the indicated, limited extent has been completed. As a result of this arrangement the resistance offered by the said springs is comparatively small, and I am enabled to provide strong springs.

These relatively strong springs 55 are dc sirablo in order that the resetting register, the d ruins may be positively and efficiently a."- mmnilished. In constructions now in use in which Maltese crosi' are provided for operating the drums, the power to be applied to the iil'st drum is the higher the more drums are provided in the indicator. As will be clear from the description above, this is not the case in my improved construction in which each drums is prov dedwith a resetting shaft ofits own. I

In 1 my improved apparatus the carrying disks 16,25 are not "directly secured to the spindles 9, llbut they arerloo'sely mounted. on the said spindles and they have pins-158 (Fig. 5) secured thereto which engageiin bores 59 of the ratchet wheels 43, 22. 'l'hereforethe rotary movementof the spindles 9 istransmitted to the carrying disk 16 through the ratchet wheel43 secured to the spindle and the pin58. The ratchet wheels 43 and 22 haveelongated hubs 61 secured to the spindles by means of screws 60." I

The carrying disk 43 has a plurality of bores 59 at e ual distances from the axis of the spindle .9. Therefore the minimum tare, that isthe figure appearing on the fare indicator when throwing the same into operation, can be changed in a simple way as may be necessary in some cases; After unscrewing the screw the hub 61 can be lifted until it is clear of the pin 58, as is shown in Fig. 5.

If now the hub 61 is turned-on the spindle 9 for bringing another bore 59 into alignment with the pin 58 and thehubis shifted downwardly and fixed in position'by means of the screw 60, the figure corresponding to the said bore 59 appears on the drum 10in init al position. p H

Forreturning the drum 9 into the'initial position corresponding to the minimum-taro when releasing allt-he registerdrums the hub 61 is formed with a notch 62 (Fig. 3) which is engaged by a pawl 63 acted upon by a spring 64. Therefore the said pawl deter mines the initial. position of the drum 10. In order that any of the ten figures of the drum 10 inav be setintoinitial.position I prefer to provide ten bores 59 in the wheel 43. some cases also the spindles 14 and 15 of the register drums 12 and 13- are connected with their carrying disks and ratchet wheels in i the mannerdescribed with reference to the drum 10, as is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, so that a minimum tare can be set in the units and tens of the dollars.

An important feature of the construction of the gearing of the register drums in WlllCh. two members and more, particularly the ratchet wheels and the carry'ingdisks of the drum are constructed for being readily disconnected and readily accessible resides in mounting the main parts of the gearing above the plate 65 disposed above the record drums.

By disposing the figures of the register drums parallel to the axes of the said drums I am enabled to provide figures of large size, and to space the individual figures fromeach other. Therefore the driver and the passenger are enabled to read the indications of the indicator at a great distance.

I claim:

1. In a fare indicator, the combination with a cylindrical register member of lower order, a cylindrical register member of high-' er order, and operating mechanism for the register-member of lower order, said register membe'rslhaving parallel. axes and having their, figuresdisposed substantially parallel to: said aXes', oi:" a ratchet wheel connected with the register member of higher order, an

actuating member-rocking about an axis parallel to ;thefaXes of the fregister l nen'l f a ,pawl co-operating withs'aid, ratchet wheel to advance said register member of higher order, a controlbers and Y carrying ling. member connected with the register member of lower order and adapted to operate said rocking actuatingmember, means bers; oflower and hi er order;

u I i i I 2.,--In*a tare indicator, the combination,

wwithra cylindrical register member of-lower order, a cylindrical register member of.

higher order, and operating mechanism for the IeglStGlT:-l111l1b1OfLlOWGl order, said register members having paralled axes and having 1 their figures disposed substantially parallel to the axes ofsaid register members and carrying a pawl in engagement with said ratchet disk, a controlling disk connected with said register member of lower order in co-axial relation. therewith and adapted to rock said lever, means for throwingsaid pawl out of locking engagement with said ratchet-disk,.and a spring for resetting said register member of higher order.

3. Ina fare indicator, the combination, with an automatically reset of lower order an autontiatically reset regis ter member of higher order, andoperating mechanism for the register disk of lower or der, said register members having parallel axes and having their figuresdisposed substantially p'arallelto said axes, of ratchet disks one connectedwith each of said registor members, pawls engaging in said disks for preventing resetting, a rocking lever rocking about an axis. parallel tothe axes of said regi'ster members and carrying a pawl in engagement with said ratchet disk of the reg.- ister disk of higher order, a controlling member connected with the register member of lower order and cooperating with said leverfor operating the ratchet wheel of the register member of higher order, and interconnected meansseverally movable about the axes of said register members-for throwing register member all of said pawls out of engagement with their ratchet disks.

at. In a fare indicator, the combination, with an automatically reset register member of lower order, an automatically reset register member of higher order, and operating mechanism for the register disk of lower order, said register members having parallel axes and having their figures disposed substantially parallel to said axes, of ratchet disks one connected with each of said register members, pawls engaging in said disks for. prevei'iting resetting, a rocking lever carrying a pawl in engagement with said ratchet disk of the register disk of higher order, a controlling member connected with the register member of lower order and cooperating with said lever for operating the ratchet wheel of the register member of higher order, rockable disks one for each of said register members and disposed coaxially thereof, pins on-said disks one for each of said pawls and in position for throwing the same out of engagement with said ratchet disks, and a bar connected with all of said rockable disks for rocking the same.

5. In a fare indicator, the combination with a register member and operating mechanism connected therewith, of a spring operated resetting means, and an adjustable clutch including co-operating members oneof which is rotatable and axially shiftable relatively to the other whereby the register member is fixed in diiierent initial. starting positions relatively to the operating mechanism.

6. In a fare indicator, the combination with a register member and operating mechanism connected therewith, of a spring operated resetting means, and an adjustable clutch comprising two adjacent elements one of which is provided with a pin extending parallel with the axis of rotation and the other with a series of holes extending parallel with said axis and adapted to selectively accommodate said pin whereby the register member is fixed in different initial starting positions relatively to the operating mechanism.

7. In a fare indicator, the combination, with a cylindrical register member of lower order, a cylindrical register member of higher order, and operating mechanism for the register member of lower order, said register members having parallel axes and having their figures disposed substantially parallel to said axes, of a ratchet disk connected with said register member of higher order, a rocking lever rocking about an axis parallel to the axes oi? said register members and carrying a pawl in engagement with said ratchet disk, at controlling disk connected with said register member of lower order in co-axial relation therewith and adapted to rock said lever, and means for resetting said members to the zero position.

8. In a fare indicator, the combination, with a cylindrical register member of lower order, a cylindrical register member of higher order, and operating mechanism for the register member of lower order, said register members having parallel axes and having their figures disposed substantially parallel to said axes, of a ratchet disk connected with said register member of higher order, a rocking lever rocking about an axis parallel to the axes of said register members and carrying a pawl in engagement with said ratchet disk, a controlling disk connected with said registc r member of lower order in (o-z al relation therewith and adapted to rock said lever, and a stop member engageable by said pawl for limiting the operative stroke of said pawl.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

LEO KERN. 

